User interface device of remote control system for robot device and method using the same

ABSTRACT

A user interface device of a remote control system for a robot and a method using the same are provided. The user interface device includes: a radio frequency (RF) unit for receiving, from a remote control robot, camera data and at least one sensor data detecting a distance; a display unit having a main screen and at least one auxiliary screen; and a controller having an environment evaluation module for determining whether the received camera data are in a normal condition, and having a screen display mode change module for displaying, if the received camera data are in a normal condition, the camera data on the main screen and displaying, if the received camera data are in an abnormal condition, the sensor data on the main screen.

CLAIMS OF PRIORITY

This application claims priority to an application entitled “USERINTERFACE DEVICE OF REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ROBOT DEVICE AND METHODUSING THE SAME” filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Dec.18, 2007 and assigned Serial No. 2007-0133260, the entire contents ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a user interface device of a remotecontrol system for a robot and a method using the same. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a user interface devicethat can receive remote location environment information acquired from aremote control robot, determine remote environment characteristics, anddisplay the most appropriate remote location environment information foran operation environment on a main screen of a display unit in the userinterface device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Nowadays, due to a requirement for a service for linking a home networkand an intelligent robot, development of intelligent robots providingvarious linking services is being actively performed.

Particularly, due to development of wired and wireless communicationtechnology, an infrastructure for a sensor network together with mobilecommunication and Internet functionality has become widely available,and an intelligent robot that can perform a communication function, beindependently operated, and provide a service at any time and place hasbeen launched. As embedded type robots that do not externally have aform of a robot traditionally envisioned by the general public, but thatcan provide various information and services to people, are introduced,interest in intelligent robots has increased.

However, when a user controls a robot in a home at a location remotefrom the user, it is inconvenient for the user to view remote locationenvironment information acquired from a sensor group mounted in a robotin a display device, to directly check all sensor data, to determine atraveling and operation environment of the robot and to control multiplerobot groups through a robot control module. Further, as the quantity ofrobots to control increases, an amount of sensor data for the user toprocess rapidly increases, and therefore it is difficult to control arobot at a remote location.

Therefore, a demand has arisen for a user interface that recognizes anoperation environment of the robot and provides optimal information ofthe operation environment to the user, whereby the user can intuitivelyand effectively control the robot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a user interface device that receivesremote location environment information acquired and transmitted by aremote control robot, extracts the most appropriate environmentinformation for an operation environment from the environmentinformation, and provides the most appropriate environment informationon a main screen of a display unit in the user interface device.

For remote location environment information not displayed on a mainscreen, the present invention further provides a user interface devicethat displays the remote location environment information on a firstauxiliary screen and a second auxiliary screen of the display unit.

If a moving obstacle is detected by an infrared sensor, the presentinvention further provides a user interface device that when ultrasonicsensor data are displayed on the main screen displays infrared sensordata on the main screen.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, auser interface device includes: a radio frequency (RF) unit forreceiving, from an external device, camera data and at least one sensordata detecting a distance; a display unit including a main screen and atleast one auxiliary screen; and a controller having an environmentevaluation module for determining whether the received camera data arein a normal condition, and having a screen display mode change modulefor displaying, if the received camera data are in a normal condition,the camera data on the main screen and displaying, if the receivedcamera data are not in a normal condition, the sensor data on the mainscreen.

The external device may be a remote control robot including: a camera; asensor unit having at least one sensor for detecting a distance; a dataacquisition module for acquiring data from the camera and the sensorunit; and an RF unit for transmitting the data acquired by the dataacquisition module to the user interface device.

In accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, a user interface method includes: receiving, from an externaldevice, camera data and at least one sensor data detecting a distance;determining whether the received camera data are in a normal condition;displaying, if the received camera data are in a normal condition, thecamera data on a main screen; and displaying, if the received cameradata are not in a normal condition, the sensor data on the main screen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the present invention will be moreapparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a remote control robotaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a user interface device according toanother exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of user control of a remotecontrol robot at a remote location using a user interface methodaccording to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the user interface method of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the remotecontrol robot of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the userinterface device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a process of receiving and displayingremote location environment information in the user interface method ofFIG. 3; and

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a process of displaying ultrasonicsensor data in the user interface method of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in detailwith reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbersare used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. Forthe purposes of clarity and simplicity, detailed descriptions ofwell-known functions and structures incorporated herein may be omittedto avoid obscuring the subject matter of the present invention.

A user interface device according to exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention includes a personal computer (PC), notebook computer,ultra mobile personal computer (UMPC), personal digital assistant (PDA),a smart phone, International Mobile Telecommunication 2000 (IMT-2000)terminal, and universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS).

An external device remotely connected to a user interface deviceaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention isembodied as a remote control robot; however the external device may beany device that can acquire remote environment information.

Remote location environment information according to exemplaryembodiments of the present invention may be camera data, ultrasonicsensor data, and infrared sensor data of a surrounding environment of aremote control robot acquired by the remote control robot.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a remote control robot 100according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

In operation, the remote control robot 100 recognizes a surroundingenvironment using a camera and a sensor unit. The remote control robot100 moves according to a user instruction at a remote location and mayprovide a home security service as well as housework such as cleaning. Asensor unit may include all sensors that can recognize an operationenvironment (that is, characteristics of an environment in which theremote control robot 100 operates) of the remote control robot 100.

In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the sensor unitincludes an ultrasonic sensor 120 and an infrared sensor 130. A camera110 is used for acquiring image data of a surrounding environment of theremote control robot 100. When it is inappropriate to recognize thesurrounding environment of the remote control robot 100 with only imagedata of the camera 110, the ultrasonic sensor 120 is used for acquiringultrasonic sensor data. Further, the infrared sensor 130 is used fordetecting an obstacle in a local area that cannot be detected using theultrasonic sensor data of the ultrasonic sensor 120. The infrared sensor130 has a measurement distance error ratio less than that of theultrasonic sensor 120 and is used for detecting an obstacle at a shortdistance, in which the ultrasonic sensor 120 cannot detect an obstacle.The remote control robot 100 can transmit data acquired by the camera110, the ultrasonic sensor 120, and the infrared sensor 130 to a userinterface device at a remote location using an RF network.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a user interface device 200 accordingto another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The user interface device 200 receives remote location environmentinformation acquired and transmitted from the camera 110, the ultrasonicsensor 120, and the infrared sensor 130 of the remote control robot 100through the RF network. Further, the user interface device 200 displaysthe most appropriate environment information for an operationenvironment among the remote location environment information on a mainscreen 210 of a display unit. The remote location environmentinformation that is not displayed on the main screen 210 may bedisplayed on a first auxiliary screen 220 and a second auxiliary screen230 of the display unit. Accordingly, when the remote control robot 100is at a location remote from a user, the user can connect to the remotecontrol robot 100 through the RF network and control the remote controlrobot 100 using the remote location environment information displayed onthe main screen 210 of the display unit.

Specifically, after receiving the remote location environmentinformation, if camera data acquired from the camera 110 are in a normalcondition, the user interface device 200 displays the camera data on themain screen 210. The user interface device 200 may display ultrasonicsensor data on the first auxiliary screen 220 and infrared sensor dataon the second auxiliary screen 230, or may display the ultrasonic sensordata on the second auxiliary screen 230 and the infrared sensor data onethe first auxiliary screen 220. If the camera data are not in a normalcondition, for example because the operation environment is too brightor too dark, the user interface device 200 displays the ultrasonicsensor data on the main screen 210. The user interface device 200 maythen display the camera data on the first auxiliary screen 220 and theinfrared sensor data on the second auxiliary screen 230, or may displaythe camera data on the second auxiliary screen 230 and the infraredsensor data on the first auxiliary screen 220. Further, when theultrasonic sensor data are displayed on the main screen 210, if anobstacle appears in the vicinity of the remote control robot 100 thatcannot be detected by the ultrasonic sensor 120, the user interfacedevice 200 displays the infrared sensor data acquired from the infraredsensor 130 on the main screen 210. The user interface device 200 maythen display camera data on the first auxiliary screen 220 and theultrasonic sensor data on the second auxiliary screen 230, or maydisplay the camera data on the second auxiliary screen 230 and theultrasonic sensor data on the first auxiliary screen 220.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of user control of theremote control robot 100 at a remote location using a user interfacemethod according to another exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

The user controls the remote control robot 100 at a remote locationusing the user interface device 200 connected to the remote controlrobot 100 through an RF network. Before the user controls the remotecontrol robot 100 to perform a desired operation at the remote location,the user should safely move the remote control robot 100 to a desireddestination 310 at the remote location.

In order for the user to move the remote control robot 100 from anylocation shown in FIG. 3 to the desired destination 310, the remotecontrol robot 100 should avoid a moving obstacle 340 as well as fixedobstacles 320 and 330. For this, the user receives remote locationenvironment information acquired by the remote control robot 100 throughthe user interface device 200, determines characteristics of thesurrounding environment of the remote control robot 100, and controls adirection and a speed of the remote control robot 100, thereby movingthe remote control robot 100 to the destination 310. The remote controlrobot 100 first acquires remote location environment information usingthe camera 110, the ultrasonic sensor 120, and the infrared sensor 130,processes a signal of the information, and transmits the processedsignal to the remotely located user interface device 200. The userinterface device 200 receives the processed signal and displays the mostappropriate environment information for an operation environment amongthe camera data, ultrasonic sensor data, and infrared sensor data on themain screen 210 of the display unit. If the camera data transmitted fromthe camera 110 is in a normal condition, the user interface device 200displays the camera data on the main screen 210. Accordingly, the usercan control the remote control robot 100 to move to the destination 310using the camera data displayed on the main screen 210.

While the user moves the remote control robot 100 to the destination310, if the camera data are not in a normal condition because the cameradata cannot supply enough information for movement of the remote controlrobot 100 (for example, if the operation environment is too bright ortoo dark), the user interface device 200 displays the ultrasonic sensordata on the main screen 210. The user interface device 200 may thendisplay the camera data acquired by the camera 110 on the firstauxiliary screen 220 and display the infrared sensor data acquired bythe infrared sensor 130 on the second auxiliary screen 230. Further,while the user moves the remote control robot 100 using the ultrasonicsensor data, if the moving obstacle 340 appears in a local area thatcannot be detected by the ultrasonic sensor 120, the user interfacedevice 200 displays the infrared sensor data on the main screen 210. Theuser interface device 200 may then display the camera data acquired bythe camera 110 on the first auxiliary screen 220 and display ultrasonicsensor data acquired by the ultrasonic sensor 120 on the secondauxiliary screen 230.

Therefore, as the surrounding environment of the remote control robot100 changes, the user can check remote location environment informationfor the operation environment through the main screen 210 of the displayunit and control the remote control robot 100 at a remote location. FIG.4 is a flowchart illustrating the user interface method of FIG. 3.

The remote control robot 100 acquires remote location environmentinformation using the camera 110, the ultrasonic sensor 120, and theinfrared sensor 130 (S410).

The remote control robot 100 processes a signal of the acquired remotelocation environment information and transmits the signal to the userinterface device 200 through an RF network (S420).

The user interface device 200 receives the remote location environmentinformation and determines surrounding environment characteristics ofthe remote control robot 100 based on data of each of the camera 110,the ultrasonic sensor 120, and the infrared sensor 130 (S430), andselects the most appropriate remote location environment information forthe operation environment based on the determined environmentcharacteristics (S440).

The user interface device 200 displays the selected most appropriateremote location environment information on the main screen 210 of thedisplay unit, and also display the remaining remote location environmentinformation on the first auxiliary screen 220 and the second auxiliaryscreen 230 of the display unit (S450). The user can then check theremote location environment information displayed on the main screen 210and control the remote control robot 100.

When the user interface device 200 receives a robot control instructionfrom the user for controlling the remote control robot 100 (S460), theuser interface device 200 transmits the control instruction to theremote control robot 100 at a remote location through the RF network(S470).

The remote control robot 100 receives and executes the controlinstruction (S480).

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the remotecontrol robot 100.

The remote control robot 100 includes the camera 110, a sensor unit 510,an RF unit 520, an operation unit 530, a storage unit 540, and acontroller 550.

The camera 110 is used for acquiring image data of the surroundingenvironment of the robot 110.

The sensor unit 510 includes all sensors for recognizing the operationenvironment of the remote control robot 100. In the exemplary embodimentof the present invention, the sensor unit 510 includes the ultrasonicsensor 120 and the infrared sensor 130. The ultrasonic sensor 120 may beused, when the camera data are not in a normal condition, for acquiringultrasonic sensor data. Further, when using a user interface deviceemploying ultrasonic sensor data because the camera data are not in anormal condition, the infrared sensor 130 may be used for acquiringinfrared sensor data if an obstacle is detected in a local area thatcannot be detected by the ultrasonic sensor 120 (for example, due tosudden appearance of an obstacle). The infrared sensor 130 has ameasurement distance error ratio less than that of the ultrasonic sensor120 and can detect an obstacle at a shorter distance than can theultrasonic sensor 120.

The RF unit 520 includes all communication means for transmitting remotelocation environment information acquired by the sensor unit 510 to theuser interface device 200 and receiving a control instructiontransmitted from the user interface device 200. The RF unit 520 maycomprise any RF communication means for connecting wirelessly to theInternet.

The operation unit 530 includes all units of the remote control robot100 controlled according to a control instruction transmitted from theuser interface device 200. For example, the operation unit 530 mayinclude units of the remote control robot 100 such as a wheel in a lowerpart for moving the remote control robot 100, a motor for operating thewheel, an arm for performing a specific operation, and a motor foroperating the arm.

The storage unit 540 stores necessary programs and data when the remotecontrol robot 100 performs general operations such as acquisition ofremote location environment information using the sensor unit 510 andexecution of a control instruction of the user.

The controller 550 controls general operations of the remote controlrobot 100. Particularly, the controller 550 controls reception of remotelocation environment information acquired and transmitted by the camera110 and the sensor unit 510, processes the signal thereof, and transmitsthe processed signal of the environment information to the user of theuser interface device 200 through the RF unit 520. Further, thecontroller 550 receives a control instruction transmitted from the userinterface device 200 through the RF unit 520 and controls the operationunit 530 to execute the received control instruction of the user.

In more detail, the controller 550 includes a data acquisition module550A and a robot control module 550B. The data acquisition module 550Areceives information about camera data, ultrasonic sensor data, andinfrared sensor data respectively acquired from the camera 110, theultrasonic sensor 120, and the infrared sensor 130 and processes asignal of the information. The remote location environment informationof the processed signal is transmitted to the user interface device 200through the RF unit 520. The robot control module 550B receives andanalyzes a control instruction received from the user interface device200 through the RF unit 520 and controls the operation unit 530according to the analyzed control instruction so that the remote controlrobot 100 may perform the control instruction of the user.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the userinterface device 200.

The user interface device 200 includes an RF unit 610, input unit 620,display unit 630, storage unit 640, and controller 650.

The RF unit 610 includes all communication means for receiving remotelocation environment information acquired and transmitted by the remotecontrol robot 100 and for transmitting a control instruction of the userinterface device 200 to the remote control robot 100. The RF unit 610includes but is not limited to an RF communication means for connectingwirelessly to the Internet.

The input unit 620 includes but is not limited to at least one of akeypad, a touch screen, and a touch pad and is used for inputting a userinstruction. Particularly, the user can input a control instruction forcontrolling the remote control robot 100 using the input unit 620.

The display unit 630 includes but is not limited to an LCD unit anddisplays various display data and operating states generated in the userinterface device on a screen thereof. Particularly, the display unit 630comprises a plurality of screens and may display the most appropriateremote location environment information for an operation environmentamong camera data, ultrasonic sensor data, and infrared sensor dataacquired and transmitted by the remote control robot 100 on a mainscreen 210 and display the remaining remote location environmentinformation on a first auxiliary screen 220 and a second auxiliaryscreen 230.

The storage unit 640 stores programs and data necessary for generaloperations of the user interface device 200. Particularly, the storageunit 640 comprises storage for a program necessary for an operation ofextracting the most appropriate environment information among remotelocation environment information transmitted by the remote control robot100 and displaying the information on the main screen 210 of the displayunit 630.

The controller 650 controls general operations of the user interfacedevice. Particularly, the controller 650 receives remote locationenvironment information acquired and transmitted by the remote controlrobot 100 through the RF unit 610 and extracts the most appropriateenvironment information for an operation environment. The controller 650controls the display unit 630 to display the extracted environmentinformation on the main screen 210 and to display the remainingenvironment information on the first auxiliary screen 210 and the secondauxiliary screen 220. Further, the controller 650 controls to transmit acontrol instruction input through the input unit 620 to the remotecontrol robot 100 through the RF unit 610.

The controller 650 includes an environment evaluation module 650A and ascreen display mode change module 650B. The environment evaluationmodule 650A can determine characteristics of the surrounding environmentof the remote control robot 100 by analyzing the received remotelocation environment information and select the most appropriateenvironment information for the operation environment based on thedetermined environment characteristics. In more detail, the environmentevaluation module 650A analyzes the received camera data and, if lightintensity of the camera data is in a range between a first referencevalue for setting a brightness limit and a second reference value forsetting a darkness limit, determines the camera data as in a normalcondition. Accordingly, when the camera data are in a normal condition,the screen display mode change module 650B displays the camera data onthe main screen 210 and respectively displays the ultrasonic sensor dataand the infrared sensor data on the first auxiliary screen 220 and thesecond auxiliary screen 230.

If the light intensity value of the camera data is equal to or greaterthan the first reference value, the environment evaluation module 650Adetermines light intensity of the camera data as too bright and, if thelight intensity value of the camera data is equal to or less than thesecond reference value, light intensity of the camera data is determinesas too dark, thereby determining the light intensity of the camera dataas not in a normal condition.

Accordingly, the screen display mode change module 650B displays theultrasonic sensor data on the main screen 210 and respectively displaysthe camera data and the infrared sensor data on the first auxiliaryscreen 220 and the second auxiliary screen 230.

When the screen display mode change module 650B determines the cameradata as not in a normal condition and displays the ultrasonic sensordata on the main screen 210, if a moving obstacle is detected by theinfrared sensor, the screen display mode change module 650B displays theinfrared sensor data on the main screen 210 and respectively displaysthe camera data and the ultrasonic sensor data on the first auxiliaryscreen 220 and the second auxiliary screen 230.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a process of receiving and displayingremote location environment information in the user interface method ofFIG. 3.

The controller 650 of the user interface device 200 controls to connectthe remote control robot 100 and the user interface device 200 throughan RF network (S710). In the present exemplary embodiment, the remotecontrol robot 100 and the user interface device 200 are connectedwirelessly through the Internet.

The controller 650 controls the RF unit 610 to receive remote locationenvironment information acquired and transmitted by the remote controlrobot 100 (S720). The remote location environment information includescamera data, ultrasonic sensor data, and infrared sensor data acquiredby the remote control robot 100.

The environment evaluation module 650A determines whether the cameradata are in a normal condition (S730).

In more detail, the environment evaluation module 650A analyzes thereceived camera data and, if brightness value of the camera data iswithin a range between a first reference value and a second referencevalue, determines the camera data as in a normal condition. That is, ifthe brightness value of the camera data is equal to or greater than thefirst reference value, the environment evaluation module 650A determinesthe brightness of the camera data as too bright, and if the brightnessvalue of the camera data is equal to or less than the second referencevalue, the environment evaluation module 650A determines the brightnessof the camera data as too dark, thereby determining the condition as notin a normal condition.

If the camera data are in a normal condition, the screen display modechange module 650B displays the camera data on the main screen 210(S740). In this case, the screen display mode change module 650B maydisplay the ultrasonic sensor data on the first auxiliary screen 220 andthe infrared sensor data on the second auxiliary screen 230, or maydisplay the ultrasonic sensor data one the second auxiliary screen 230and the infrared sensor data on the first auxiliary 220.

If the camera data are not in a normal condition at step S730, thescreen display mode change module 650B displays the ultrasonic sensordata on the main screen 210 (S750). In this case, the camera data may bedisplayed on the first auxiliary screen 220 and the infrared sensor dataon the second auxiliary screen 230 or the camera data may be displayedon the second auxiliary screen 230 and the infrared sensor data on thefirst auxiliary 220.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a process of displaying ultrasonicsensor data in the user interface method of FIG. 3.

The infrared sensor detects whether a moving obstacle exists (S810).

If a moving obstacle exists, the screen display mode change module 650Bdetermines whether camera data are displayed on the main screen 210(S820).

If camera data are displayed on the main screen 210, the screen displaymode change module 650B controls to continue to display the camera dataon the main screen 210. However, if camera data are not displayed on themain screen 210, the screen display mode change module 650B controls todisplay the infrared sensor data on the main screen 210 (S830). In thiscase, the camera data may be displayed on the first auxiliary screen 220and the ultrasonic sensor data may be displayed on the second auxiliaryscreen 230, or the camera data may be displayed on the second auxiliaryscreen 230 and the ultrasonic sensor data on the first auxiliary screen220.

In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a case where theremote control robot 100 moves to a destination is described, howeverthe present invention can be applied to a case of detecting and trackinga moving object as well as to movement of the remote control robot 100.

As described above, a user interface device and method of a remotecontrol robot system according to the present invention can displayremote location environment information in a display device by acquiringremote environment information from a sensor group mounted in a remotecontrol robot and the most appropriate remote location environmentinformation for an operation environment. Accordingly, a user canintuitively and conveniently control the robot from a remote locationusing the operation environment of the surrounding environment of theremote control robot displayed on a main screen in the display devicewithout directly checking each sensor data.

Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed in detail hereinabove, it should be clearly understood thatmany variations and modifications of the basic inventive concepts hereintaught which may appear to those skilled in the present art will stillfall within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined inthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A user interface device comprising: a radiofrequency (RF) unit for receiving, from an external device, camera dataand at least one sensor data having a remote location environmentinformation; a display unit having a main screen and at least oneauxiliary screen; and a controller having an environment evaluationmodule that evaluates the remote location environment information of theexternal device and determines whether or not the received camera dataare in a normal condition for the remote location environment, andhaving a screen display mode change module that controls displaying thecamera data on the main screen when the received camera data are in thenormal condition, and controls changing the display on the main screento display the received sensor data from an ultrasonic sensor on themain screen if the received camera data are not in the normal conditionwhen an environment evaluation module determines the remote locationenvironment as being too bright or too dark by comparing light intensityvalues with one or more reference values.
 2. The user interface deviceof claim 1, wherein the external device is a remote control robotcomprising: a camera; an infrared sensor a sensor unit for outputtingthe sensor data by detecting a distance as the detected distance; a dataacquisition module for acquiring data from the camera and the sensorunit; and an RF unit for transmitting the data acquired by the dataacquisition module to the user interface device; and wherein when thecamera data is not in the normal condition, the display of camera datais shifted to the at least one auxiliary screen when the display on themain screen is changed to display the sensor data.
 3. The user interfacedevice of claim 1, wherein the environment evaluation module determinesthat the received camera data are in the normal condition for the remotelocation environment information when a brightness of the camera data iswithin a range between a first reference value and a second referencevalue for setting a brightness limit.
 4. The user interface device ofclaim 1, wherein the environment evaluation module determines that thereceived camera data are not in the normal condition when the cameradata is an error or when the camera data does not receive data from theexternal device.
 5. The user interface device of claim 2, wherein thescreen display mode change module displays infrared data on the mainscreen when the camera data are in the normal condition for the remotelocation environment information, and when the camera data are not inthe normal condition, ultrasonic sensor data is displayed on the mainscreen.
 6. The user interface device of claim 5, wherein the screendisplay mode change module displays, if an obstacle is detected by theinfrared sensor, when the camera data are not in the normal condition,infrared sensor data on the main screen.
 7. The user interface device ofclaim 1, wherein the radio frequency (RF) unit for receiving, from theexternal device, the camera data and sensor data having the remotelocation environment information, the received camera data and thesensor data are transmitted through a server or base-station from theexternal device.
 8. A user interface method, comprising: receiving, froman external device, camera data and sensor data having a remote locationenvironment information; determining whether the received camera dataare in a normal condition for the remote location environmentinformation; displaying, when the received camera data are in the normalcondition, the camera data on a main screen of a display having at leasttwo screens; and displaying, when the received camera data are not inthe normal condition the sensor data, sensed from an ultrasonic sensoron the main screen, wherein determining whether the received camera dataare in a normal condition includes evaluating the remote locationenvironment information of the external device, and changing a displayon the main screen from the camera data to the ultrasonic sensed data.9. The user interface method of claim 8, wherein the external device isa remote control robot comprising: a camera; a sensor unit having theultrasonic sensor for detecting a distance; a data acquisition modulefor acquiring data from the camera and the sensor unit; and an RF unitfor transmitting the data acquired by the data acquisition module to auser interface device.
 10. The user interface method of claim 8, whereinthe normal condition is a range of light intensity between a firstreference value for setting a brightness limit and a second referencevalue for setting a darkness limit.
 11. The user interface method ofclaim 9, wherein the sensor unit further comprises an infrared sensorthat outputs infrared sensor data.
 12. The user interface method ofclaim 11, wherein the sensor data further comprises infrared sensordata.
 13. The user interface method of claim 12, further comprising:detecting an obstacle by the infrared sensor; and displaying, if thecamera data are not displayed on the main screen, the infrared sensordata on the main screen when the remote location environment informationis determined to be within a predetermined light intensity value range.14. The user interface method of claim 10, further comprising: detectingan obstacle by the ultrasonic sensor; and displaying, if the camera dataare not displayed on the main screen, an ultrasonic sensor data on themain screen.
 15. The user interface method of claim 8, wherein thereceived camera data and the at ultrasonic sensed data are transmittedthrough a server or base- station from the external device.
 16. A methodof providing a user interface comprising: receiving camera data andsensor data having a remote location environment information from anexternal device; determining whether the received camera data are in anormal condition; determining that the received camera data are not inthe normal condition when the camera data is an error or when the cameradata does not receive data from the external device; and displaying thecamera data on a screen if the received camera data are in the normalcondition, and displaying the received sensor data on the screencomprising ultrasonic sensed data from an ultrasonic sensor if thereceived camera data are not in the normal condition or when the cameradata is not received from the external device; wherein the determiningwhether the received camera data are in the normal condition includesevaluating the remote location environment information of the externaldevice, and wherein displaying the received sensor data includeschanging a display on a main screen from the camera data to theultrasonic sensed data.